


High Noon

by Fourhumours (orphan_account)



Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: AU, F/M, Western, a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6129445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Fourhumours
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short Western AU.</p><p>Jane's got a bullet with his name on it and nothing to lose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a small drabble from tumblr.
> 
> There will be at least a second part that is a little longer

“Any of you fellas seen this man?” Jane drops the faded photograph on the table. Judging by the way the men chuckle at the image she knows she has finally hit gold. 

One of the men leans forward, “whats it to ya sweetheart?” Jane figures he is the  leader seeing how others watch him with careful anticipation. She decides its best to keep her mouth shut and tosses a few silver pieces on the table.

“Yeah, we’ve seen him,” the man lets out a low whistle, “what he do to ya? break your heart?”

“Where can I find him?” she says pointedly. She’s internally calculating how many seconds it would take to pull out her gun and how many seconds it would take for them to respond. She has no intention to start trouble just yet, these calculations help to keep to her calm. 

“Forget him little lady, come sit with us, we know how to treat a women” they all chortle and Jane reconsiders her intentions. 

“That’s enough or y’all need to find somewhere else to sate your thirst,” the bartender strolls over and picks up the photograph, “Oh, you’re looking for Loki? stay where you are, he is due on stage next.”

The bartender takes her silver from the table and Jane tips her hat to him. She finds a place by herself not so easily seen from the stage and waits. After all this time she can wait a little longer. She counts how long it would take to put a bullet in Loki’s brain and  slip out the back of this dirty backwards saloon _._


	2. Chapter 2

_“It makes no difference, so I’ve been told_  
Where the body lies when life grows cold   
But grant, I pray, one wish to me   
O bury me not on the lone prairie.” 

There he is, strumming that melancholy tune, the scoundrel she’s chased for too long. She had forgotten his honeyed voice, the way it seems to brush against her and the way it seems to leave a taste in her mouth. She had forgotten his eyes as blue as a bright clear day. For a moment she forgets to breath and she is swept up in a memory of watching his silhouette against the setting sun. It was a time when her life was full promise. When harvest was good. When she had friends and family. When she thought that maybe, just maybe, she was the marrying kind. When she has blind to treachery.

“549 days,” Jane mutters to herself. She breaks down the number of days she has been hunting into hours. minutes. seconds. She recalls the fortune that was taken from her. She counts the people she’s lost. She measures the flames that had torn her life apart against the rage that burns inside her. With a steady exhale she reaches for the pistol at her waist. 

The bartender places a glass of whisky in front of her. 

“Trouble ain’t so good for business Ms, unless your business be trouble. Those men you spoke to before are men of much business. They keep this place peaceful,” the bartender points to to the table of men watching them intently,“If you’ve got to fire that weapon do it outback, thats where Loki will be.”

Loki finishes his song and thanks the patrons for their mediocre applause. She watches him notice the table of hired protection and she turns away hiding her self from view behind the pillar. She can almost feel his eyes on her.

“Thanks for tip,” Jane downs the glass of whisky. The calculations are shot, Loki has most likely sensed something ain’t right. It’s a risk catching him out back, she could be walking straight into her grave. She would take it, she may never get a chance like this again.  “Tell your goons they better pray I don’t see them on a wanted poster.”

Loki begins his next song his tone changed. 

 

 _“I’ve been thinking a long time my darling,_  
Of those sweet words you never would say,  
But the last of my fond hopes have vanished  
For they say you are going away.”

 

 _J_ ane’s fingers grip the glass. When the song finishes she slips out the back into the night. 

 

                         …

 

 He walks out into the open road and lights his rolled cigarette. 

“I knew it was you,” Loki places his hat over his heart and bows to her, “I’ve been waiting.”

Jane remains as she is leaning against the wall.

“Jane,” he steps towards her.

“That’s Ms Foster to you,” she lets him edge closer, she currently has the upper hand and its better for her if his guard is down. It’s hard to forget the speed of his draw.

“Is it now?” he says alluding that that happier time. He cocks his head to inspect her. In this light she can see his amused expression and that excited gleam in his eye. Jane stops him dead in his tracks drawing her gun. He complies and puts his hands where she can se e them all the while is grin grows wider.

“Drop what your packing. Slowly. Good. Any last words?”

“After all this time you’re just going to shoot me? Thats not the Jane I knew, you’re smarter than that.

“True,” Jane cocks the gun, “I’m going to shoot you and turn your corpse in for a pretty penny.”

“It won’t fix whats done,” his features are relaxed but his gaze flickers to the barrel of the gun, “I can return what was taken from you.”

“Ah, the pitch,” Jane rolls her eyes. 

“I’m more valuable to you breathing.”

“You’re wanted dead or alive kid and I know better than to keep you talking.”

“Then why have you?”

“Quite frankly I wanted to watch you squirm.”

“Listen, we can help you Jane-” she doesn’t let Loki finish she fires the pistol deliberately clipping him on the shoulder. He cries out and falls to his knees.

“Thats Ms Foster to you,” she cocks the gun and presses to his forehead. Loki looks up at her and she finally sees his unmarked fear. She sees something else in the way he looks at her, something she doesn’t quite understand.“Give my regards to the devil, scum.”

“Jane! Stop!” She knows that voice. Thor. She hears the click of a gun behind her and she raises her pistol.

“Not you,” vengeance had been so close. Jane closes her eyes and suppresses a scream. 549 days. 13,176 hours. 790,560 minutes. Only to be thwarted by Thor. “Have you forgotten what he did to you? To us?”

“I haven’t,” Thor’s voice is soft as he takes the pistol from her. His beard is thicker then when she saw him last and she thinks that if it were any other situation she would be pleased to see him. If it were any other situation he would not have given her that pitying expression.

“Took your time brother,” Loki picks him self off the ground and shows Thor his bloody shoulder for emphasis. 

“Apologies Loki, I didn’t think she would…” Thor casts her a worrying expression, “Jane, he wasn’t lying, we can get everything back. We’ve been trying to find you.”

Jane realises she has walked straight into their trap. Use Loki to lure her in and Thor catches her from behind. For what? Fix the past? Impossible.

“And what of the dead?” Jane counts how long it would take for her to reach one of Loki’s discarded guns, “What of Eric?”

“He isn’t dead,” Loki says, “I didn’t kill him.”

Thor nods.

“He was taken, Jane,” Thor packs away his pistol, “by a gang much in need of a doctor. We are going to get him back. All of us. We are gong to get your land back and we are going to clear Loki’s name. Jane, believe me, he is innocent.”

Jane doesn’t believe him. Loki had done a lot of wrong in his life, the least he is guilty of is being a liar. Right now he can’t look her in the eye.

She believes that Eric is alive, she can’t help it, she’s been starved for hope for so long. If Loki didn’t kill Eric then he was the one who threw him into a den of wolves. If not that, he is still the son of a bitch that ruined her life.

  If what Thor said is true they will need all the man power they can get their hands on. 

 _549 days_. Jane saves that bullet with his name on it for a rainy day.


End file.
